This application claims priority to co-assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/517,810, filed Nov. 6, 2003, entitled MAIL THREAT VENTILATION AND DETECTION SYSTEM, naming George Randall Notzon as inventor, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Mail service providers, such as the United States Postal Service, may handle hundreds of billions of letters and parcels each year. Mail is received from domestic and international sources every day. The receipt and processing of mail involves considerable handling and movement of that mail in order to sort and deliver it to its intended recipient.
A number of machines may be used to manipulate the mail in order to move it through the processing system. Mail joggers may be used to vibrate the mail prior to opening it to get the contents to one side. Mail cutting machines may be used to slice envelopes open. Machines, such as a mail sorting machine, may be used to cut and sort the mail. Machines, such as an OPEX 150 machine, may be used to open mail containing checks and receipts, and extract the check and receipt from the envelope. Machines, such as an OPEX 50 and 51 machine, may be used to provide an assist function for hand extraction and inspection of mail. Mailroom workers may be used to open and inspect mail by hand. Packages may move along a conveying system to be inspected by machine or mailroom workers.
In recent years, a new issue has arisen involving the handling of mail. Mail containing agents, such as anthrax or ricin, has been sent through the postal system. However, because of the systems set up to process and deliver the mail, the letter's recipient is not the only person subject to exposure. Due to the handling and movement this mail experiences during processing, the agents in that mail may escape sometime during the process, and other pieces of mail may be contaminated. Furthermore, detection of these agents usually results from the opening of the mail containing them, subjecting workers in mail processing facilities to exposure. Once the agents escape from the contaminated mail, the contamination of neighboring areas arises, possibly through the air or from transport by a contaminated worker.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved mail processing system absent the disadvantages found in the prior methods discussed above.